How to penalize "endless idling" in my traffic management/automation game?
The Core Concept: I'm building a traffic management game with a simple automation layer on top. You use in-game currency to buy and place production buildings. These buildings have requirements that must be satisfied by other buildings, and items are transported between them via roads. You earn money for each successful transport.
The Twist (and Penalty): To prevent players from building inefficient road networks, every production building has a "requirement-satisfying timer."
- If a requirement isn't met before the timer runs out, the building collapses.
- The player loses the building and the cash spent on it.
- It’s similar to Mini Motorways, but instead of a game-over, it's just a financial penalty.
The Problem I Need Help With: The very first building is placed automatically at the start and produces without any requirements.
Because of this, a player can just build one additional building to satisfy a basic loop, step away from the keyboard, and let the game run endlessly. Because the setup is so small and simple, traffic will never jam, the timers will never run out, and they can farm money without progressing or facing any penalties.
My Question: How can I penalize or prevent players from surviving indefinitely on a simple 2-building setup? How do I push them to expand their network and take risks?
Would love to hear your thoughts!